Page 12 of Mated By Twilight

Liza rolled atop Rylan. Her movements were guided by his unspoken permission. Her body was spent, but she wanted him again. And he let her have him. He was an imposing force beneath her, his every muscle taut and ready to surge at her command.

She took him in, feeling every inch as she rode him. Her breasts swayed tantalizingly over his mouth. He caught first one, and then the other nipple, teasing her orgasm to come sooner, harder.

Liza bore down, trying to keep her climax at bay. She didn't want to go over the top yet. She just wanted to feel Rylan. Inside her. Around her. The connection to him was heady. Finally, someone who was hers. And she was his.

As though to punctuate his ownership, he captured her nipple with his teeth, biting down on it as though markinganother part of her. The contact sent a lightning bolt of sensation straight to her core, igniting another explosion within her. She cried out, her voice mingling with the night as this new orgasm wrung her out completely. Collapsing onto his broad chest, Liza gasped for breath, her body slick with the sheen of their passion.

But Rylan wasn't spent; his desire was a living thing, insistent and all-consuming. With a swift motion, he rolled her onto her belly. Her moans were captured against the cool sheets. His words, laced with carnal intent, were a sultry whisper against her ear as he positioned himself behind her.

"Come again for me, Liza," he commanded, his tone brooking no argument. The growl that followed was not just of a man but hinted at the beast within, adding to the thrill that coursed through her veins.

She couldn't fathom the possibility of more pleasure, her body already spent from their earlier exertions. Yet as he entered her from behind, Liza felt the stirrings of arousal build once more. His hold on her hands was both a restraint and an anchor, his fingers interlocked with hers behind her back.

"Please, Rylan," she panted, the dual sensations of being utterly his captive and yet so intimately connected overwhelming her senses. "I can't?—"

"Shh, you will," he assured her, his voice a seductive caress that reached inside and stoked the embers of her desire. "You're mine, Liza. Now come like a good girl."

His thrusts grew more insistent, each one pushing her toward the brink. She let go, surrendering to his mastery over her body, her soul. When the climax tore through her, it was all-encompassing, riding her hard and teetering on the edge of pain as she found herself writhing uncontrollably.

She didn't know how long she lay trembling. When she came back to consciousness, the sheets were twisted around her like the silken remnants of a storm. Rylan's fervent pace slowed ashis body tensed, and then, with a growl that came from the depths of his soul, he found his own release.

Exhaustion claimed him, and he collapsed onto the cool expanse of bed beside her. She felt the mattress dip as he reached for her, drawing her spent form against the solid wall of his chest. The heat of his skin seared through the thin layer of sweat that covered her, the steady drum of his heart reverberating against her back in a soothing rhythm.

"Good girl."

His arms enveloped her as if she were something precious, something cherished. The intimacy of the moment threaded through her senses, lulling her into a sense of peace she'd never before experienced. With each rise and fall of his chest, she felt herself drifting closer to the edge of sleep, safe within the circle of Rylan's embrace.

Her last thought before she fell into a deep sleep was of her sister. She bet Maize would pitch a fit to know that Liza had fallen for another wolf. But this time it was real. And perhaps Maize would understand, since she had gotten the sense that her big sister was falling for Gideon, who had come to check on Liza earlier tonight.

Gideon would tell Maize that Liza was safe. And then, hopefully, he'd bop Maize's brains out, just as his Alpha had done with her.

11

Rylan pacedoutside Gideon’s cabin, his wolf prowling just beneath the surface. Both man and beast were agitated and on edge. His fists clenched and unclenched, needing to reach out but knowing it was a bad idea.

Inside the cabin, Liza was with her sister, Maize. Rylan’s heightened senses could pick up the faint murmur of their voices, but he couldn’t make out the words. He scowled at the solid wooden door that stood as a barrier between them.

Maize had been kidnapped by Liza’s ex, a rogue wolf who had already caused more than enough damage. Gideon and his brothers had rescued her—thank the gods—but the knowledge that he hadn’t been part of the rescue gnawed at him. As Alpha, Maize was his responsibility. He should have been there, should have led the charge to bring her back. But his mind had been consumed with Liza, with the overwhelming need to claim her as his fated mate.

He stopped pacing for a moment, dragging a hand through his hair, his fingers tangling in the thick strands as he let out a slow, measured breath. His wolf growled in frustration, the desire to protect his pack warring with the instinct to be with hismate, to keep her close and safe. But right now, she was behind that damn door. He didn’t like anything standing between him and Liza, didn’t like the feeling of being shut out, even if he knew—intellectually—that she needed this time with her sister.

Elijah and Caleb waited nearby, the former unusually quiet. Elijah was rarely at a loss for words, his humor often a balm during tense times, but today he seemed distant, distracted. Normally, Rylan might have asked what was on his mind, but right now, there was no room for it.

He needed to get his head in the game. Once Liza was finished with her sister, Rylan needed to get to his meeting with Micah. He needed to think through the steps he’d have to take now that the arranged marriage with Celine was off.

The moment Liza stepped out of the cabin, her eyes met his. Instantly, the weight lifted off Rylan's shoulders and the tightness went out of his chest. She looked a little more at ease. The worry lines on her forehead had softened, and he was grateful for that.

Without a word, he extended his hand to her, and she took it, her fingers lacing through his as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Together, they walked through the woods. When they reached his cabin, Rylan paused at the door, turning to face his mate.

His gaze was intense. The emotions he’d been holding back all day overflowed and were likely clear on his face. Liza looked up at him, her eyes wide and trusting. She knew he was on his way to end his arranged marriage, and she didn't question him. Rylan drank in the sight of her—her soft features, the way the sunlight played across her skin.

With a smooth motion, he cupped her face in his hands and leaned down, capturing her lips in a kiss that was all possession. He poured everything into that kiss—his relief, his desire, his unspoken promise that he would protect her, no matter what.

When he finally pulled back, his voice was husky, laced with a promise of what he planned to do to her when he came back. “Stay inside and rest. You're going to need it.”

"Yes, Alpha."

Rylan went instantly hard. By the sassy look on her face, she knew exactly what she was doing to him. After one last lingering kiss, he opened the door for her, watching as she slipped inside. She paused in the doorway, glancing back at him with a smile that made his heart race before finally disappearing into the warmth of the cabin.

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